Honey Wasabi Glazed Salmon

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Honey wasabi glazed salmon is the perfect sweet and spicy summer seafood dish! Asian-style salmon perfect for hot afternoons.

What a dramatic turn of events in the past few weeks.

New York City has gone from a pulsing, vibrant cultural center to a post-apocalyptic ghost town in just days. I can only image what the rest of the country, indeed the rest of the world, is going through too.

Jump to Recipe

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TL;DR

• Wash and dry salmon
• Mix together marinade
• Marinate Salmon for 4 hours or overnight
• Bake Salmon at 400°F for 25 minutes
• Heat marinade in a saucepan until it thickens.
• Glaze salmon and place in the broiler for 2-3 minutes
• Serve.

Check out this Pan Seared Ahi Tuna for another Asian-inspired summer dinner! Or this Whole Roasted Rainbow Trout for another elegant dinner party recipe!

If you’re anything like me, you always wondered how you’d react to a global crisis. You watched Jericho and Contagion and Armageddon and Independence Day. Even the great-bank-run in It’s a Wonderful Life. I’d watch those films and think “Yep, when that happens to me, I’m going to be just like George Bailey.”

(To be fair, nothing prepared me for the Great Run-On-Toilet-Paper of 2020.)

But while art mirrors life, it doesn’t always work out so easily. The answers don’t pop out at you like lines from a script, do they? There isn’t an automatic “Save the day” moment written into our lives. You have to make your own choices and write the actions yourself. It’s infinitely harder. Reality can be terrifying.

But the reality is, we’re living in a pandemic. And it isn’t going away any time soon. It’s time to tighten our belts and make the best out of the situation.

Be kind to yourself. Be kind to those nearest you. Focus on the positives, the new opportunities. Stock up for your family. Stock up for your pets. And stock up for your vulnerable neighbors, too.

As George Bailey taught us, you don’t have to save the entire planet. Just save your corner of the world.

The bad news? Dried foods and canned goods are tough to find. The good news? Most fresh produce and fish are still readily available! So we can still eat yummy fancy meals while we’re locked in our homes. Revel in the small joys.

So here’s my favorite salmon recipe. It’s perfectly baked, sticky sweet with a bit of a spicy kick. And it’s just as good whether you’re serving a house full of friends or quarantining with your cat. (Hint: You should be quarantining right now. Also, adopt a cat!)

Serving Salmon

Finding salmon in most supermarkets isn’t difficult. For this recipe I tend to gravitate towards the larger filets. If you’re putting in the effort to marinate the fish, might as well make it a show piece! However, the marinade would also work for smaller pieces or steaks depending on what you want to serve. (You will have to adjust the cooking time, however.)

If you’re selecting a fresh piece of salmon, look for good, clear color. It should smell like the ocean, not too fishy. Store uncooked salmon in the freezer for up to 6 months or in the fridge for about 4 days.

Honey and Wasabi Marinade

Sweet, spicy, and tangy all at once, this is my favorite summer marinade. The great thing about it is it doubles as a glaze when it comes time to cook your salmon.

The honey is the key to a nice thick, sticky glaze. You need a bit of sugar to caramelize in the broiler. Honey is by far the tastiest (and healthiest) option. But you can use brown sugar instead.

The base of the sauce comes from teriyaki and soy sauce for a classic Asian-style flavor. If you’re looking for a healthier option here, Tamari sauce is the gluten free version of soy sauce! Very similar flavor.

I add two spicy components in ginger and wasabi. Wasabi is the real key. Three teaspoons is the perfect amount for me if. Prefer less spice? Take it down to 2 teaspoons instead. But don’t forget the fresh ginger. A bit of fresh spice adds a nice refreshing kick to a heavy sauce.

Heating the Honey Wasabi Glaze

Once your salmon is in the oven, pour your marinade into a sauce pan and heat over medium-low heat to thicken the sauce. Use a pastry brush to paste the salmon a few times throughout cooking. Two the three times usually does the trick!

Note: Do NOT use it as a dipping sauce. It’s been sitting in raw fish for hours. The fridge has probably kept it safe, but no need to take the risk. Use it as a glaze so it cooks in the oven with the fish.

Cooking your Honey Wasabi Glazed Salmon

Remember that oven temperatures can vary, especially if you go changing up the size of your fish. Steaks should cook for less time. My filet was about 2 pounds and 1.5 inches thick. It took around 25 minutes at 400°F.

To get the glaze really sticky and bronzed, put your salmon under the broiler for just a few minutes. I put mine in for 3 minutes. As you can see, the edges got a little blackened, so probably could have done a bit less. Unless you like carcinogens on your fish. I prefer to reserve them for barbecue.

I wanted my salmon extra glazed. Drizzle some marinade over the salmon before putting it in the oven. At 10 minutes I took it out and glazed it again. And I glazed the fish one more time before I put it in the broiler.

Storing and Reheating Honey and Wasabi Glazed Salmon

Once the salmon has been cooked you can store it in the fridge in an airtight container for about 5 days.

Reheat by placing in a cold oven, heating to 350°F oven, then letting it cook for about 10 extra minutes. Make sure you cover with tin foil. If you want the glaze to be sticky again, place it under the broiler for a minute or two.

What to serve with Honey Wasabi Salmon?

Salmon is a universal pairing fish. It goes with most veggies and sides. But remember to always pair with the sauce. An Asian-style sauce like this can go two ways.

Try it with similar Asian style cuisine like bok choy, Chinese broccoli, or Japanese stir fry.

Or try it with very simple light veggies and sides like this Refreshing Three Bean Salad, Yogurt and Dill Green Beans, or a Spicy and Sweet Watercress and Mandarin Orange Salad. And one of my personal favorites, a light Watermelon Salad with Herbs.

If you’re looking for a good summery appetizer, try these Creamy Crab Stuffed Mushrooms.

What wine pairs with Honey Wasabi Salmon?

Salmon is heart enough to pair with both whites and reds.

Pinot Noir pairs nicely with salmon and heavy sauces like this marinade! You could also try a Gewurztraminer white wine which seems to naturally pair with soy sauce.

Quarantine Links:

• NYC Adopt/Foster a Pet
• American Red Cross Blood Donations
• CDC Relief Fund
• Don’t forget to check out your local community food banks.
• And check in on your neighbors!